Step-ladder.



No. 821,834. PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

J. B. SHALBR. STEP LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, I904.

- UNITED srArns PATENT orsron.

. JUSTIN B. SHALER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAMJ. OHEARN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

STEP-LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1906.

Application filed November 19,1904. Serial No. 233,401.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JUSTIN B. SHALER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Brooklyn, New York. city, New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Step-Ladders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to step-ladders, and particularly to those providedwith swinging rear supports, which may be folded either when the ladderis used resting against a wall or the like or when the ladder is not inuse.

It comprises improvements in such sup ports, together with an improvedshelf or pail-rest.

It further comprises details of construc tion, which will be specifiedand claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a step-ladder embodying my invention.Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively partial side and front elevations of thesame on an enlarged scale. Figs. 4 and 5 show details. v

1 designates the stair portion of a step-ladder comprising side risers11 and treads 12. Near their upper ends the risers 11 are pierced at 13and are provided on their outer sides with plates 2, having apertures 21registering with the apertures 13. The plates 2 are also provided,preferably at their lower ends, with laterally-extending flanges 22 23.Passing through the apertures 13 and 21 is the horizontal bar 31 of therear support 3. At the ends of the bar 31 are rigidly secured verticalmembers or side rods 32, shown as connected to the member 31 by ordinaryL- joints 33. The lower ends of the rods 32, which in practice may betubular, are threaded, as shown at 34. This enables them to engage witha rubber sleeve 35, as shown in Fig. 1, to prevent displacement onpolished floors or with a fiat shoe 36, (shown in Fig. 5,) which may beused, c. g., on a grating. It will be noted that the entire rear support3 is integral and pivoted, so that each-bar 32 in its operative positionmay swing out and engage with the flanges 22 of the side plates 2, asshown in full lines, Fig. 1, and in their nono erative position may lieadjacent the outer sides of the risers 11 and be held from forwardmovement by the flanges 23 on the plates.

To prevent the accidental disengagement of the support 3 from itsoperative position, I provide a rod or other obstacle engaged betweenthe side of the riser 11 and the bar 32 near the apex of the angle madeby them. As shown, the rod 4 is wound about the bar 31, as shown at 41,and held in position approximately against the inner sides of the risers11 by means hereinafter described or by any convenient manner. The lowerend 42 of the rod 4 is laterally extended to engage between the riser 11and the bar 32, as above set forth. The resiliency of the rod 4 enablesthe end 42 to be easily disengaged to permit the swinging forward of thebars 32.

The extension or pail-shelf 5 may be pivotally supported in anyconvenient manner under any of the treads 12. As shown, it is under theupper tread and is pivoted on the bar 31, its pivots 51 serving tomaintain the coils 41 of the rod 4 in position. As shown, the rear edgeof the tread 12 is provided with inwardly-extending bolts 52, engagingwith eyes 53 on the shelf 5. By disengaging these bolts the shelf may beturned on its pivots so as to hang adjacent the'treads 12 and out of theway.

By the term integral as applied. to the rear support of the step-ladderI of course include an inverted-U-shaped support made either in onepiece or preferably in a plurality of pieces, as shown, so long as theseare integrated or rigidly secured together to swing integrally.

It is evident that some parts of my invention may be used without othersand that considerable mechanical changes may be made in various parts ofthe device without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A step-ladder comprising a stair portion consisting of side risersand treads, arear support consisting of a horizontal connecting memberand legs rigidly secured to said member at their upperends and adaptedto swing in line with and adjacent the outer side of said risers, andunitary means for pivotally attaching said'rear support to said stairportion and for limiting their relative pivotal movement.

2. A step-ladder comprising a stair portion consisting of side risersand treads, arear support composed of metal rods or tubes and comprisinga horizontal connecting member and legs rigidly secured at their upperends to said connecting member and adapted to swing in line with andadjacent the outer side of said risers, and unitary means attached tosaid risers for engaging with the horizontal member of said rear supportand for limiting its pivotal movement with respect to said stairportion.

3. A step-ladder comprising a stair portion consisting of siderisers andtreads, a rear support made from metal rods or tubing and comprising aconnecting horizontal member and le s rigidly secured at their upperends to sai 1 connecting member and adapted to swing in line with andadjacent the outer side of said risers, and side plates each pierced torpivotal engagement with the horizontal memberof said rear support andprovided with lateraldy-extending portions for limiting the, pivotalmovement of said support with respect to said stair" portion.

45'. A step-ladder comprising a stair portion consisting oi side risersand treads-,arear support consisting of a horizontal pivotal memberandlegs rigidly secured thereto, and unitary'means attached to saidrisers pierced to pivotally support the horizontalmember of said rearsupport and provided with means for limiting the pivotal movement of thevertical members of said rear support with: respect to said stairportion 5. A step ladder comprising a stair portion consisting of siderisers and treads, a rear support consisting oi a horizontal pivotalmember and legs rigidly secured'thereto, and side plates, one of whichis attached to each of said risers near its upper end, is pierced toreceive the horizontal; member of said rear support and is provided withlaterally-extending flanges adapted to limit the movement of one of thevertical members of said rear support both directions.

6'. A step-ladder comprisinga stair portion consisting of side risersand treads, a rear support pi'vo-tallly attached tosaid side risers, andmeans detachably engaged between said risers and the legs of said rearsupport approximately at the apex of the angle formed by said risers andthe legs of said. support. for preventing the accidental disl'odgment ofsaid rear support.

7. A step-ladder comprising a stair portion consisting, oi side risersand treads, an inverted-U-shaped rear support; the horizontal member ofwhich is pivoted in said risers, and I a movable portion connected withsaid hori- 1 zontal member and adapted. to detachably engage betweensaid risers and the legs of said rear support to prevent the accidentaldislodgment of the latter.

8. A step-ladder comprising a stair portion consisting of side risersand treads, an inverted-U-shaped rear support, the horizontal member ofwhich is pivoted in said risers, and a resilient rod secured on saidhorizontal member and having a laterally-extending portion adapted toengagebetween the leg of said support and one of said risers to preventthe accidental dislodgrnent of the support.

9'. A step-ladder comprising a stair portion consisting of side risersand treads, arearsupport composed of metal rods: or tubes and comprisinga horizontal member and legs rigidly secured to said horizontal memberat their upper ends, said horizontali'member eX-' tending between saidrisers adjacenttheir upper ends, a shelf pivotally attached to saidhorizontal member, and. cooperating bolts and eyes common to the treadadjacent said horizontal member and to said shel-f' tor detachablymaintaining the latter'irr a horizontal position.

10 A step-ladder comprising a stair por tion consisting of sideri'sersand -treads,a rear support including a horizontal member eX tendingbetween said side risers adjacent their upper ends, a shelf pivotallyattached to said horizontal membcnczooperating bolts and eyes common tothe tread. adjacent said horizontal member and to said shelf fordetachably maintaining the latter in a-horizontall position, and aresilient-rod secured on said horizontal member and having; alaterally-extendingportion adapted to engage between a leg of said;-rear support and one of said risers toprevent the accidentaldislodgment. of the support.

In testimony whereof l1 have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscrib ing witnesses-r STIN B. SHALER. Witnesses Gnonen Lnwns:Coornn, E. VAN ZANDT;

